'My Indigenous identity is what keeps me grounded,' says Yellowknifer celebrating law degree

Going to law school wasn't exactly top of mind for Yellowknife's Amelia Harman when she was in high school. 

"It was not something I considered, to be honest, because I didn't think it was something I was capable of achieving," she told CBC's Loren McGinnis, host of The Trailbreaker.

During her undergrad, Amelia, who is Chipewyan Dene and North Slave Métis, switched her major a few times, and ended up taking a few years off in between studies. It was during that time off when she began to realize what she hoped to do.

"I knew I wanted to kind of do something with purpose and kind of improve the … prevailing discourse for Indigenous peoples in Canada, and also act as a role model for young Indigenous peoples, including young Indigenous females," she said.

This June, she graduated from the University of Calgary with a law degree, to add to her master's degree in public policy.

Harman was among 78 Indigenous graduates from the university's classes of 2021 and 2022, which took part in a joint ceremony this year. Elders presented the graduates with gifts, including traditional blankets.

Amelia said she's looking at specializing in environmental and energy law and their relation to Indigenous rights.

Harman said her family supported her throughout her education. Her mom, Bertha Harman, was her role model growing up.

"She's a strong Indigenous woman," Amelia Harman said. "[She] has been a pillar of strength for me. So just kind of hearing her advocate throughout the years and how she supports and advocate for Indigenous peoples is kind of just something that is enmeshed within me."

Bertha Harman said she was "just beside" herself about her daughter graduating from law school.

"We're just so happy for her that, you know, she decided to go that route," Bertha Harman said.

"There's a lot of people who think they can't do it or have been told they can do it," she said. "You can do it. You really can if you put your mind to it, the hard work, but you can do it. 

"Now she's got a future ... and who knows what next is gonna happen."

During her studies, Amelia Harman was the first-ever recipient of the Hersh E. Wolch, QC Memorial Award for Indigenous Law Students, which came with support, mentorship and encouragement from members of the Wolch family. She also credits several others with supporting her.